Luka Doncic scores 30 in first half of EuroBasket knockout game vs. Italy

RIGA, Latvia — Luka Doncic seems more than ready for the coming NBA season.

Doncic — the Los Angeles Lakers star — scored 30 first-half points Sunday for Slovenia in its EuroBasket Round of 16 game against Italy. Slovenia led the game at halftime, 50-40.

Doncic was 9 for 13 from the field in the half — 5 for 5 on 2-pointers, 4 for 8 on 3-pointers — and was 8 of 9 from the foul line. No other Slovenian player had more than four points in the half.

Slovenia was seeking a spot in the quarterfinals of the European championships for the third consecutive time. Slovenia won the title in 2017, then reached the quarterfinals in 2022.

Doncic was the leading scorer in the group stage of the tournament, averaging 32.4 points in Slovenia’s first five games before the start of the knockout round.